Bricklaying & Repointing

Footings against retaining wall

Anonymous user 16 March 2024 - 2.35 PM

My garden is approximately 1 metre higher than my neighbours, with an old but solid retaining wall. I want to partly replace the fence which sits on my side of the retaining wall with a new wall - about 4 metres long. The new wall will be about 2 metres high, and as it is in a very exposed position I have decided to build it 1 & 1/2 bricks thick ie 325mm. I want to get the new wall built as close as possible to the retaining wall, so I don't take up too much of my garden. But I do not want to damage the integrity of the existing wall (and I also don’t know who owns it) so I don’t want to build onto it in any way. The difficulty I foresee is that the technical advice I have read suggests that such a wall should sit in the centre of 775mm wide footing - meaning that there will be a gap of at least 225 mm between the retaining wall and the new wall. So the question is, how do I construct foundations that allow the new wall to be built against the retaining wall. I have seen some information about constructing an eccentric footing (but not enough to tell me how it is done) and also wondered about using some lightweight screw piles, with a narrower concrete pad on top. I will be getting a professional to do the work, but I’d like to understand what the options are. Any suggestions would be very welcome. Sorry this is a bit long, but I would welcome views. Update Thanks for the two answers - I appreciate the replies. I have had a rethink and now going for a totally different solution. Relatively lightweight Corten steel panels 320 kgs in total - 4 metres long and 2 metres high. Mounted on hardwood timber, with cross timbers taking the weight away from the retaining wall and 2 metres back from the wall. Thank